The present invention relates to ink jet offset printers, and more particularly to a stripper blade assembly for removing a print medium from the surface of an offset drum in an ink jet offset printer.
In an offset print process an intermediate image is printed onto a print surface of a drum, the print surface generally being a release agent coated on the surface of the drum. The intermediate image is then transferred from the print surface onto a print medium, such as paper or transparency material, in a transfer fusing process. Such a transfer fusing process causes the print medium to tend to adhere to the surface of the drum. Typically in the industry the print medium is stripped from the drum with multiple, spring loaded, plastic fingers that are presented to the drum and print medium at a specified time in the print process. If there is any damage to the print medium, such as a bent comer, a bent leading edge, a cut medium, etc., or any other error in the print process at this critical juncture, the result is a serious jam that is difficult to clear and requires an expensive service call. Also the plastic fingers may damage the drum and cause damage to the printed image on the print medium due to the point loading.
What is desired is a stripper assembly that removes a print medium from an offset drum of an ink jet offset printer without damage to the printed image on the print medium or to the drum and without risk of a serious jam.